Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-06-03
A NEW TOWN.

A NEW IUWN.
A .MANUFACTURING VILLAGE SPRUNG
UP IN A FEW YEARS-WHAT RAPHINE
WAS, AND Is-ITs ELEVATOR, CREAM
cry, FENCE FACTORY, ETC.-THE Ac-
TIVE BUSINESS MEN THERE.
Reported for the staunton VINDrCAToR.l
Something less than four years ago l
had occasion to pass over the country be-
tween Midway (Steele's Tavern) and
Brownsburg, in Rockbridge county. At
an elevation, about one and half miles
| west of the former place. the road crossed
an embankment then being thrown. up for
the construction of the Valley Railroad.
To the right, piles of dumped clay were
pointed out as the site for station.
This is all there was then, of what is now,
the town of Raphine. A few days since l
CHANGED to be at the same place again,
and from the station platform began to
compare it with my former visit. The
change was marked one, that would
hardly have been looked for, even in the
West. Everything and everybody seemed
moving. Sixteen teams from the surround
ing country, loaded with wheat and corn
stood in line, and Systematically passing
LARGE GRAIN ELEVATOR,
weighed and emptied their loads into its
bins. Stepping over, found the elevator
II large an substantial building with a
storage capacity for 5000 bushels. The
energetic proprietors, Messrs. Rawlings &
Hill, told me that business required an
Enlargement Of the building and that they
would soon put in additional bins that
would increase its capacity about one
third. The interior is all activity. A
large steam engine drives the whole and
with improved machinery the operation
of weighing, cleaning, hosting, and load
ing it into cars on the side track, is all
done without handling and with surpris-
ing quickness. By the same motive pow
err, corn, not shipped, is ground into the
patent process-granulated- meal and sold
to all parts of the country at top of tie
market figures.
To the right and adjoining this building,
bands were st work excava5ing for the
foundation for large .-~--..->-----4-,..
BALED HAY WAREHOUSE,
which is to be rapidly pushed to compile
ton. The same firm, Messrs. Rawlings
Il Hill, have large general merchandise
store, and in connection run complete
apothecary shop. Across the read and i'm
Il iot oil 70 10 ba 10 or
Of Messrs Hutchinson & Stuart the pio-
neer merchants, so to speak. They have
store, post Office, and separate depart
ment for millinery under the management
of Miss Lizzie Vines. This branch of
Raphlnes growth has kept abreast with
its other interests, and orders already in
will take more than week to reach.
Last summer a livery, feed and ex-
change stable was established here by Mr.
T. D. Scruggs as an experiment. That
this experiment was success may be
judged by subsequent improvements, and
the purchase Of buggies, spring wagons,
and riding and driving horses. This enter
+ prise has been of great accommodation to
the travelling public and drawn to Raphine
much custom that would otherwise have
been diverted.
Passing on [ was attracted by the hum
and hustle of a
STEAM SAW MILL.
Five men were here busily engaged in
saving up the timber cleared from a fif-
I teen-acre lot, and have all they can do to
keep up with the hauling teams. The
owner, Mr.. D. II. Rosen, told me that he
would soon have to increase his facili-
ties and had to that end selected site for
new planning mill. The saw and planning
mill will thus be turned into one, with
employment for much larger force of
hands at present. Mr.. Rosen is filling
large contract for furnishing palings for
the Pickett Wire Fence, Of which Mr.. r.
! 81. Dunlap, is the manufacturer. For its
manufacture Mr.. Dunlap has erected a
shed near the saw mill and with patent
ed machine. weaves the palings together
with galvanized beSSemer steel wire. di-
rectly as they come from the mill. This
business of itself is considerable item
anu qudutltlco VI VIC AOuCihk RAO bHAPPON
to Stanton and other points, where it
finds ready market.
just across the creek is
A CREAMERY BUILDING
in course of construction and at present
ready for roofing. 1t is owned by joint
stock company with the following officers
and directors:-B. G. Rawlings, Presi-
dent; John 7. Stuart, Secretary and
Treasurer; Directors-Jas. E. A. Gibbs,
Walter Learson, B. B. Buchanan, E. g.
Hill, and D. III. Rosen. Already sub
scribers sufficient have been secured to
guarantee supply OF milk, and if things
! work as they are expected to, the machine
~ will be in operation by next month.
Much care has been taken to make this
new Industry success, and to further
that end Mr.. Stuart. the Secretary and
Treasurer, has made visit to the cream
cries OF Pennsylvania, and investigated
their operations.
But all this building. both here and in
the neighborhood, calls for experienced
workmen, and for this Raphine also fur
nishes the men and means.-Messrs. Huff
man Bros. builders and contractors in
stone and brick work, and Messrs D. H.
Rosen, and H. S. Campbell, carpenters
and contractors in wood work. The first
named firm (Huffman Bros.) have burned
a Ima-kiIn and are now erecting a